Seventeenth+Welsh+2

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=**__The Seventeenth Amendment__**=


 * By: Andrea, Sanjay, Andrew**




 * __What does the 17th amendment mean??__**

The [|Seventeenth Amendment]is about electing senators in a state. The people of the state elect a new senator every six years. If the senator can't complete his year term then the governor of the state elects a replacement to finish the term.


 * __Questions__**[[image:amendment_pic.jpg align="right"]]

Why was it passed?? When was it ratified? What are some controversies?
 * many citizens wanted a "loose" union between the former colonies
 * April 18, 1913
 * when someone steps down for a temporary period, the governor appoints a person who takes his place. That doesn't show freedom towards the people.

What was happening or going on when it was written?
 * during those times people wanted more freedom by electing some that would represent them in the government. People wanted two full votes and the people wanted to be heard in these two votes.
 * senators were putting a deadlock on government and serving two terms instead of one.
 * the head of the government was appointing people, made an unfair system on who represented a state

Is the Amendment still used today?
 * this amendment is still used today because we still elect 2 senators and the still have 6 year terms

Why is this Amendment important today?
 * without this Amendment the senators would not need to have a 6 year turn or ever have to leave the Senate
 * it holds up the base of the Senate to prevent to much power to the Congress men
 * helps with original plan of the Constitution to create checks and balances

How is the Amendment used?
 * it makes sure the senators do the right thing and they
 * it checks the senators to make sure they dont do anything wrong to the people
 * makes sure they can't do many more than 6 years

What can improve the Amendment?
 * you can imporve this Amendment by:
 * make it more clear what happens when someone has to step down for senate
 * make sure the senators are doing there job appropriatly


 * __Current Events__**

Andrea: __New Governor Menendez__



In this [|article] it talks about how Senator Jon Corzine of New Jersey became governor of New Jersey. So for this reason he elected Senator Menendez as a replacement. What had happened was that senator Corzine had run for governor of a city in New Jersey while still being the senator of N.J., and won. But there was no one that could take his place as senator. Senator Corzine chose someone to replace him in office, so he could take the job of being a governor. He chose Senator Robert Menendez. Menendez would be serving the remaining years that Corzine would have had left if he were still senator. Senator Menendez was chosen over many other democrats that were running for governor. Now Menendez is in office as one of the two senators of New Jersey, and ex-senator Corzine is a governor in New Jersey as well. I think it was not a very good idea for ex-senator Corzine. This is because how could he run for governor while he was still senator. In this case the 17th amendment was flipped around. Because my amendment states that if a senator could not hold their position any longer the governor could choose the next one, and in this case Corzine was both the governor and the senator at once.

Sanjay: In this summary i will talk about how a recent govenor appointed a governor because of the 17th amendment. In Mississippi Roger Wicked was empied of his seat appointed by govenor Hayley Barbour. He was to leave his seat 13 days earlier by senator Trent Lott. Trent Lott was resighned and is now the new senator of Mississippi. Trett lott was told to pursue something else in the private sector. Senator Roger Wicker had wasted no time and had already started his campaign. Mississippi will hold a speacial election that will hold the winner's seat on January 2013 In my opinion I know how this could of been alot easier. I think that thet should of reelected him instead of going through five years until the next election. I think the amendment was not really the problem but the governor's choice. Anyway in anycase this is my summary

Andrew:

In this [|current event] it explains one of the many rough patches in the 17th amendment. The article explains the resent hardship that the governor of South Dakota faced when one of his Senators, Senator Johnson was sick in the hospital. It was Governor Mike Round’s job to now pick a new senator. Governor Mike Rounds had no idea that picking a new senator would be so hard. Senator Johnson was a democrat and the democrats had majority by one vote. Governor Rounds is a republican and the Republican Party was pushing hard on the Governor to pick a republican replacement. Governor Rounds felt to Senator Johnson honor he would elect another democrat. In the end Senator Johnson ended up recovering in time to replace himself as senator. This amendment to this problem is not very good because in this case it gave unwanted power to one governor and his decision could change the outcome of the whole country. This could be bad because if Senator Johnson could not return then Governor Rounds might choose a republican replacement and the next big decision that the senators might have Governor Rounds decision to elect a republican might affect the whole country.